Interactive storage meter for a storage container

Abstract

An interactive, meter-type graphical user interface (“GUI”) visually illustrates how the storage capacity of a physical or logical storage container is consumed by a number of items. Examples of items include physical units, logical units, or files of digital content. The items are arranged into a number of logical groups (each group including zero or more items) in accordance with user-selectable grouping criteria. The GUI displays group indicators in a manner that illustrates the relative amount of storage capacity consumed by each group (with respect to either total storage capacity or consumed storage capacity), and optionally by the individual items within each group. The GUI may also facilitate user manipulation of the items associated with each of the displayed groups, or suggest to the user how the unused storage capacity of a particular storage container may be consumed.

1. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method for presenting to a user a graphical user interface associated with a storage container having a storage capacity, the method comprising:
 identifying a plurality of items, the plurality of items collectively consuming a first portion of the storage capacity; 
 logically arranging the plurality of items into a plurality of groups in accordance with user-selectable grouping criteria, each group having associated therewith zero or more items and a storage capacity consumption amount representing an amount of the storage capacity or the first portion of the storage capacity consumed by the zero or more items; 
 for each group, associating a meter-type storage capacity consumption indicator therewith, a particular meter-type storage capacity consumption indicator comprising a geometric object that visually illustrates a relative amount of the storage capacity or the first portion of the storage capacity being consumed by the zero or more items associated with a particular group; 
 arranging for display of at least some of the meter-type storage capacity consumption indicators in a manner that visually illustrates a relative size of the storage capacity consumption amount associated with each of the groups associated with the displayed meter-type storage capacity consumption indicators; 
 identifying a second portion of the storage capacity remaining for consumption; 
 associating a meter-type remaining storage capacity indicator with the second portion of the storage capacity, the meter-type remaining storage capacity indicator comprising a geometric object that visually illustrates the second portion of the storage capacity relative to the first amount of the storage capacity; 
 arranging for display of the meter-type remaining storage capacity indicator; 
 identifying a type of item that can consume the storage capacity; 
 predicting an amount of the storage capacity consumed by a representative item of the identified type; and 
 based on the identified type and the predicted amount of the storage capacity, determining an allocation of items of the identified type that could consume the second portion of the storage capacity. 
 
   
   
     2. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the method step of arranging for display further comprises:
 arranging for display of at least some of the meter-type storage capacity consumption indicators in a manner that facilitates user manipulation of the zero or more items associated with the groups associated therewith. 
 
   
   
     3. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
 arranging to notify the user of the allocation. 
 
   
   
     4. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the representative item of the identified type comprises an item of the identified type having predetermined characteristics, the predetermined characteristics selected from the group consisting of: average characteristics; characteristics associated with one or more items of the plurality of items; and user-selected characteristics. 
 
   
   
     5. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the method step of identifying a type of item that can consume the storage capacity comprises identifying a plurality of types of items that can consume the storage capacity, 
 the method step of predicting an amount of the storage capacity consumable by a representative item of the identified type comprises predicting the amounts of storage capacity consumable by representative items of each identified type, 
 the method step of determining an allocation of representative items that could consume the second portion of the storage capacity comprises
 selecting at least some of the plurality of types of items that can consume the storage capacity, and 
 determining quantities of representative items of each selected type that could consume the second portion of the storage capacity, and 
 
 the method step of arranging to notify the user of the allocation comprises arranging to notify the user of the quantities of representative items of each selected type that could consume the second portion of the storage capacity. 
 
   
   
     6. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the method step of determining an allocation of items comprises determining a quantity of items. 
   
   
     7. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a user selection of a particular item associated with a particular group associated with a particular displayed meter-type storage capacity consumption indicator; and 
 based on the user selection, facilitating manipulation of the particular item. 
 
   
   
     8. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 7 , wherein the method step of facilitating manipulation is selected from the group consisting of: navigating to the particular item; moving the particular item; responding to user movement of the particular item; synchronizing the particular item; accessing the particular item; modifying the particular item; deleting the particular item; and changing the group with which the particular item is associated. 
   
   
     9. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 7 , wherein the method step of receiving a user selection further comprises:
 receiving an indication of a user gesture with respect to a portion of the display of at least some of the meter-type storage capacity consumption indicators. 
 
   
   
     10. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the storage container is selected from the group consisting of: a physical storage container; and a logical storage container. 
   
   
     11. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of items are selected from the group consisting of: physical units; logical units; and digital content. 
   
   
     12. The computer-readable medium according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are executable by a client-side processor or a network-side processor. 
   
   
     13. A system for displaying a storage meter for a storage container, the storage container having a storage capacity, a first amount of the storage capacity being consumed by a plurality of items and a second amount of the storage capacity remaining for consumption, the system comprising:
 a computer-readable storage medium; and 
 a processor responsive to the computer-readable storage medium and to one or more computer programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium, the one or more computer programs comprising 
 an item identification module configured to identify user-selectable grouping criteria and to logically arrange the plurality of items into a plurality of groups in accordance with the grouping criteria, each group having associated therewith zero or more items and a storage capacity consumption amount representing an amount of the storage capacity or the portion of the storage capacity consumed by the zero or more items, and 
 a user interface module responsive to the item identification module, the user interface module configured to visually display to a user
 a number of user-selectable group indicators, each group indicator representing one of the plurality of groups identified via the item identification module, 
 a meter-type storage capacity consumption indicator associated with each group indicator, a particular storage capacity consumption indicator comprising a geometric object that visually illustrates a relative amount of the amount of the storage capacity or the first amount of the storage capacity being consumed by the zero or more items associated with a particular group indicator, and 
 a meter-type remaining storage capacity indicator comprising a geometric object that visually illustrates the second amount of the storage capacity relative to the first amount of the storage capacity, 
 
 
     the one or more computer programs operable to perform a method comprising
 identifying a type of item that can consume the second amount of the storage capacity, 
 predicting an amount of the storage capacity consumed by a representative item of the identified type, and 
 based on the identified type and the predicted amount of the storage capacity, determining an allocation of items of the identified type that could consume the second amount of the storage capacity. 
 
   
   
     14. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein user selection of a particular group indicator facilitates user manipulation of the zero or more items associated therewith. 
   
   
     15. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the storage capacity consumption indicators are segments having different relative sizes, arranged in a manner selected from the group consisting of: horizontally; vertically; and geometrically. 
   
   
     16. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computer programs further comprises:
 an item manipulation module responsive to the user interface module, the item manipulation module configured to receive a user selection of a particular item associated with a particular group, and to facilitate user manipulation of the particular item. 
 
   
   
     17. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the system is associated with a client-based product or a network-based product. 
   
   
     18. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein determining an allocation of items comprises determining a quantity of items. 
   
   
     19. The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises notifying the user of the allocation.